Do you know how much I love you?
by teammccord
Summary: Henry tries to wait up for Elizabeth to come home from a two-week trip, and she tries to surprise him by arriving early. Fluff.


Disclaimer: If I owned Madam Secretary, the episodes would air daily!

A/N: Shameless cheesy Bess & Henry fluff, but I needed that right now in light of all the drama and tension (don't get me wrong — I'm excited)! I hope you like it!

Henry McCord was determined to stay up and wait for his wife to come home. Elizabeth had spent the past two weeks travelling across Europe, and she'd been due back for a few hours. Henry was a bit worried, ever since the Marsh and Air Force One debacles happened, but he knew how important her last meeting in Norway was and expected there'd been a simple delay in negotiations.

He tried to focus on his work and was hoping to get some papers graded while he waited for Elizabeth to come home. As he read and tried to grade, his mind drifted. He thought about how pathetic it must look, that a grown man couldn't sleep properly when his wife was away, and that he was always more tense when she was gone. The kids teased him about it relentlessly.

But it was true, she was his rock, and he loved her more than anything in the world (excluding the kids, of course). She still amazed him, even after 25 years of marriage, and he decided that anyone who thought of him as pathetic had never met his wife. He was unapologetic. He missed her, and he knew she missed him too.

…

Elizabeth McCord had been waiting on the tarmac in Norway for what seemed like ages. She had wanted to come home and surprise Henry, so she'd told him her plane was leaving later than it was supposed to. But now all her plans seemed to be going out the window. First, the negotiations had run long. Then, the weather had dipped below freezing and her plane needed to be de-iced, leaving her waiting rather impatiently with her staff.

It was two hours later that they were able to lift off, and by now, Elizabeth's sour mood had gotten worse. She sat looking out the window absentmindedly, thinking of Henry. She missed him, even though she knew full well she'd see him soon. Elizabeth thought back to all the times she was told that a grown woman should be strong, and independent, and not rely on her husband. That was true, and most of the time she liked to think she didn't need anyone to rely on, but with Henry, it was different.

He was her rock, her touchstone, and she missed him terribly. She couldn't sleep well when he wasn't next to her and she found herself growing more short-tempered when she didn't hear his voice for a while. After 25 years of marriage, she still couldn't believe they had found each other, and that their relationship was still so strong. She decided the women who told her never to rely on a man had never met her husband. She missed him, and she knew he missed her too.

…

It was one in the morning when Henry finally dozed off, having tried his hardest to stay awake and wait for Elizabeth. He wanted to surprise her, and to be awake when she came in the door. He knew she'd be jet-lagged, hopped up on energy and ready to tell him all the details she could about her trip, and he wanted to be there to listen. But tiredness had gotten the better of him, and Henry couldn't fight sleep any longer.

…

At one thirty, Elizabeth snuck up the stairs and into her bedroom, trying not to wake her sleeping family. She barely glanced at Henry before going to the bathroom and changing into her pyjamas. When she walked up to the bed, she couldn't help but smile. The lamp on Henry's bedside table was still on, and he had fallen asleep with his glasses on. They now hung off his face at a precarious angle, and Elizabeth made quick work of removing them and turning out the lights. She slid under the covers carefully, not wanting to wake her husband. At the same time, she needed to be close to him, after two weeks with an ocean separating them. She scooted closer, and felt Henry's arms wrap around her instinctively, his nose burying in her hair. She held her breath, but he hadn't woken up, and soon she fell asleep in his arms.

…

When Henry McCord woke up a few hours later, he was sure he had to be dreaming. Elizabeth was in his arms, and was, from the look of it, sleeping soundly. He pulled her close, and she began to stir, turning to face him.

"Hi," she mumbled, and kissed him.

"I thought I was dreaming," he replied and began to stroke her hair, moving his other hand to the small of her back.

"Was I in your dream, professor?" she teased.

"Always. But seriously, when did you get back?"

"Around one thirty, my plane was delayed because of the ice. I wanted to get home early and surprise you, but you can see how that turned out."

"About as well as my surprise." Henry chuckled. "I wanted to stay awake until you got home, but from the looks of it, that backfired a little."

"You're cute when you fall asleep with your glasses on," she said with a smirk and kissed him again. He chuckled and they rolled over so that Elizabeth's head was lying on Henry's shoulder, savouring the moment.

"You're cute no matter what."

"I love you, Henry."

"I like you okay too."

At this, Elizabeth feigned indignation, tickling Henry's chest playfully as they both started laughing. Henry moved to sit up against the headboard, pulling Elizabeth with him. Once they were both comfortable, he turned to her.

"As much as I love to tease you, I hope I've made it clear over the years just how in love with you I am. Elizabeth, I honestly couldn't imagine not knowing you, or being married to you, or raising our children together — you're…" He couldn't seem to find the words, but pressed on. "Honestly, you understand me better than I do most of the time, and I love you for that. Babe, I know it probably sounds pathetic, but I can't even sleep well without you next to me!"

Henry meant to go on but was cut off by a searing kiss from his wife. Her tongue demanded entrance to his mouth, and their tongues duelled together until they had to come up for air. They stared at each other intently until Elizabeth began speaking.

"Henry, of course I know you love me, because I love you just as much. You say I understand you better than you do? Well, I can say the reverse holds true as well! You're always going to be who I confide in, I know you and your sexy moral compass will guide me on the right path, and I can't sleep well without you next to me either! Plus, Blake has told me a sure-fire sign of knowing that I haven't spoken to you in a while is that I get grumpy and sulk around the office. I think we can both agree we love each other, right?"

"Right," Henry replied. Honestly, he was too stunned for words. His wife was perfect. She, she … once again words failed him so he just pulled her close and hugged her tight, hoping that somehow his love would pass into her by osmosis. Apparently, Elizabeth was thinking the same thing, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. They sat there for what seemed like forever until she spoke.

"And Henry, for those nights when you really can't sleep when I'm gone, I did give you a secure line to use, just in case we need to … talk." She sent him a seductive smirk.

"So naughty, Secretary McCord," he replied, laughing. As he moved to settle on top of her, he asked: "So, what would we discuss if we needed to talk during those, long, lonely nights?"

"Let me show you."


End file.
